Book excerpt: A NATO Advanced Research Workshop on the "Mechanisms of Reactions of Organometallic Compounds with Surfaces" was held in St. Andrews, Scotland in June 1988. Many of the leading international researchers in this area were present at the workshop and all made oral presentations of their results. In addition, significant amounts of time were set aside for Round Table discussions, in which smaller groups considered the current status of mechanistic knowledge, identified areas of dispute or disagreement, and proposed experiments that need to be carried out to resolve such disputes so as to advance our understanding of this important research area. All the papers presented at the workshop are collected in this volume, together with summaries of the conclusions reached at the Round Table discussions. The workshop could not have taken place without financial support from NATO, and donations were also received from Associated Octel, Ltd., STC Ltd., and Epichem Ltd., for which the organisers are very grateful. The organisation of the meeting was greatly assisted by Mrs G. MacArthur and Mr L.R. Dunley of the Chemistry Department, St. Andrews University.